Operating device for car couplers



Oct; 13,1931. A. E. SMALL orrmmne DEVICE FOR GAR couPLsns' Filed March 16, 1928 Patented Oct. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES} COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ARTHUR n. SMALL, or CHICAGO; ILLINOIS, .As srcmon 'ro UNION METAL PnonUcrs vii aoonronarion .ori nnLAwAnn I OPERATING n nvron'roncnnconnnnns p Application filed March 16,

The invention relates to devices for ating railway car couplers.

The Interstate safety. appliance standards require that a i railway car be equipped with means to perate a coupler from adjacent the side of the car. Operating consists of unlocking the coupler throwing the knuckle to open position or raising the lock to lock-set posivtion. A railway car is usually provided with a rod o peratively connected to the car coupler and revolubly supported by the car body and provided with a, depending handle adjacent the side of the car which 1s used to revolve the rod. The relative position of such handle to the side of the car is specified in said safety appliance, standards.

An object of the device is to provide an arrangement wherein the operating rod may move longitudinally of itself to accommodate the lateral movements of the coupler in service without materially moving the depending handle of the operating rod;

In the drawings: Figs. 1. 2 and 3 show a typical application ofmy device to a railway car.

Fi e. 4 to 7 inclusive are typical cross sections of operating rods. V V 7 Figs. 8 and 9 show modified, forms of the handle.

Fig. 10 shows a typical application of my device to a railway car. Figs. 1, 2 and?) show the preferred form wherein the bracket 2 is supported by the car body and the handle or lever 3 is hinged to the bracket so as to move only in a vertical plane longitudinally of the car, and an aperture 4 is provided in'this handle'through 0 which the operating rod 5 slidably extends.

Both the aperture 4 and the cross sectionof the operating rod 5 are non-circular 'soas to provide a non-rotative connection between thesetwo elements so that when the handle is swung the operating rod is revolved.

Figs. l, 5, 6 and 7 show various non-cir-f cular sections of operating rods which could be used and the aperture in the handlewould be correspondingly shaped to provide a nonrotative connection therebetween. The op Commerce Commission.

1.92 8. serial No. 262,298 I crating rod is straight for a short distance on either side o'f-the handle so that itmaymove' longitudinally of itself through the aperture 7 ing rod 5 passes through the aperture 10 forming a non-rotative connection therewith," which connection is-above the'pivot l3 and] handle12. w r I The Interstate Commerce Commission safety appliance standards. require' that the, coupler operatingrod handlesfsh'all not be;

more than twelve (12); preferably nine.

inches (9"), from sides of cars. 'This'provision is made so that the operating rod h'andle" will be in substantially the samerposition relative to the side of the carat all times. so,

' that the brake'mjan or switchman canreadi-ly I catch hold of it in the dark or withoutlooking' for' it, which is essentialuon slippery:

ground, therefore,"I.Iprefer to arrangemy device so thetoperating rod can move longitudinally of itself without materially swinging the handle.

The accompanyingdrawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to'be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described. as it is obviousthat va rious modifications thereof within the scope of theclaims will occur to persons skilled in the art. 7 1. 'An operating device for a railway car coupler comprising a handle hingedly mounted upon the car to swing only in a plane substantially longitudinal of the car, and an op- F crating rod having, a'slidable non-rotative connection with said handle eccentric fro the axis of'the handle. Y

2. An operating devicefor a railway car coupler comprising a'handle hi'ngedly mounted uponthe car to swing only in a plane substa'ntially longitudinal of the car and having a non-circular aperture therein, eccentric from.

the axis of the handle, and an operating rod provided with a non-circular portion slidably passing through said aperture so as to provide a slidalole non-rotative connection with said handle.

3. An operating device for a railway car coupler comprising a depending lever arm hingedly mounted upon the car to swing only in a plane substantially longitudinal of the car, said lever arm carrying a non-circular aperture removed from the axis of the lever arm and lying in the plane or" movement of said lever arm, and an operating rod operatively attached to a coupler having a noncircular portion slidably passing through said aperture so as to provide a slidable nonrotative connection with the lever arm.

4:. An operating device for a railway car coupler comprising a depending lever arm hingedly mounted upon the car to swing only in a plane substantially longitudinal of the car, said lever arm provided with a lateral extension forming a hell crank carrying a non-circular aperture and lying in the plane of movement of said lever arm, and an operating rod operatively attached. to a couplerhaving a non-circular portion slidably passing through said aperture so as to provide a slidable non-rotative connection with the lever arm. 7

5. An operating device for a railway car coupler comprising a depending lever arm hingedly mounted upon the car to swing only in, a plane substantially longitudinal of the car, said lever arm carrying a non-circular aperture above the axis of the lever arm and lying in the plane of movement of said lever arm, and an operating rod operatively attached to a coupler having a non-circular por tion slidably passing through said aperture so as to provide a slidably non-rotative con-' nection'with the lever arm.

ARTHUR E. SMALL. 

